Bathtub safety seat



May 24, 1966 R. L. EDDY BATHTUB SAFETY SEAT Filed Oct. 1, 1963 INVENTOR. Raymond L. Eddy United States Patent 3,252,167 BATHTUB SAFETY SEAT Raymond L. Eddy, Muncie, 1nd, assignor to Shepherd ivlgpufacturing Corp., Muncie, Iud., a corporation of n lana Filed Oct. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 312,943 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates generally to bathtub safety seats and in particular to a seat attachment for a bathtub having the advantages referred to below.

While seat attachments for bathtubs are not unknown in the prior art, US. Patent 2,151,581 being an example, these structures have generally been characterized by intricate assembly and attachment procedures, difiiculty in removing the structures for tub cleaning and interference, when installed, with shower curtains or glass shower enclosures.

Use of seat attachments for bathtubs provide obvious advantages for the ordinary user and for physical infirm users whether the tub is used for soaking or showering. They have particular utility in the sometimes hazardous bathing of the lower limbs when showering and provide a safe and convenient seat for pre-drying prior to leaving the tub. Notwithstanding their obvious utility, bathtub seat attachments have not had widespread use, at least partially, because of the disadvantages of the prior art structures referred to above.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a bathtub seat attachment which can be installed on a bathtub without tools and, when installed does not interfere with the use of existing shower curtains or glass panel type shower enclosures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment of the type referred to which can be easily moved out of the way for tub cleaning without completely detaching the structure from the bathtub.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub attachment of the type referred to above which can be fabricated and assembled at relatively low cost.

These and other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the seat attachment of the present invention installed on a conventional bathtub.

FIG. 2 is a side-sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the construction of the pivotal mounting for the seat attachment.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional bathtub having side walls and end wall 11. The structure of the present invention includes a tubular frame having parallel, spaced side members 12 and integraltherewith end members 13 which are inclined inwardly to meet at an apex generally designated at 14. As may best be seen in FIG. 2, the end members are inclined upwardly 'so that when the apex 14 is resting on the upper margin of the bathtub end wall 11, the apex 14 is somewhat above the plane defined by the side members 12. A cross member 16 joins the spaced ends of the side members 12.

A seat 17, which can be formed of moisture resistant fabric, perforated metal, or any other similar, suitable material, extends between and is carried by the side members 12 and the cross member 16. -Grab-rails 18 are welded to the side members 12 or otherwiserigidly secured and extend upwardly therefrom.

As may best be seen in FIG. 4, the assembly includes ice brackets 21 which have ball sockets 22 formed therein. The brackets 21 are rigidly secured by a waterproof cement or adhesive 23 to the opposed inner side faces of the side walls of the bathtub adjacent the upper margin of the inner side faces of the bathtub. The ends of the cross member 16 receive an internally threaded bushing 24 which receives the threaded'end of a ball pivot member 26. The members 26 carry, at their extreme outer ends, a ball 27 adapted to fit within the sockets 22. From FIG. 4, particularly, it will be obvious that the members 26 may be adjustably threaded within the cross member 16 to adapt the structure to varying widths of bathtubs and the adjusted position of the members 26 may be fixed by the lock nuts 28.

When so installed the member may be placed in seating position as shown in FIG. 1 wherein the seat 17 lies generally in a horizontal plane with the apex 14 engaging the upper margin of the bathtub end wall 11. As will be obvious from FIG. 2, when access to the complete tub area is desired, as for example in cleaning the tub, the frame may be pivoted upwardly to its broken line position of FIG. 2.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the attachment of the present invention may be permanently mounted on the tub without adversely affecting cleaning operation of the tub surfaces. The structure may be mounted adjacent the sloping end of the tub so that it occupies very little of the fiat usable floor space of the tub. Since the brackets 21, permitting mounting of the structure, do not extend to any appreciable distance across the top margin of the tub side walls, the installation does not interfere with the use of shower curtains or sliding glass enclosures. The grab rails 18 provide convenient hand holds for the user when rising or changing positions and upon entering or leaving the tub.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat attachment for bathtubs having side walls and an end wall, said attachment comprising a frame having parallel spaced side members and end members inclined inwardly to meet at an apex, said end members being further inclined upwardly to place said apex above the plane defined by said side members, a cross member joining the spaced end of said side members opposite said apex, a seat carried by said side members and said cross member, ball-socket carrying brackets adapted to be secured to the opposed inner side faces of the side walls of a bathtub adjacent the upper margin of said side faces, and ball pivot members adapted to seat within said ballsockets and extending adjustably from said frame adjacent the opposite ends of said cross member, whereby with said ball-socket brackets installed ona bathtub and said ball-pivot members adjusted to seat within said ballsocket brackets said seat attachment may be pivotally moved between a position providing access to the bathtub for cleaning and a seating position wherein said apex engages the upper margin of the bathtub end wall to place said seat in a horizontal plane.

2. A seat attachment as claimed in claim 1 having grabrails extending upwardly from said side members adjacent opposite ends of said seat.

3. A seat attachment for bathtubs having side walls and an end wall, said attachment comprising a frame including parallel spaced side members and a bathtub engaging portion extending therefrom, a cross member joining the spaced ends of said side members, a seat carried by said side members and said cross member, ball-socket carrying brackets adapted to be secured to the opposed inner side faces of the sidewalls of a bathtub adjacent the upper margin of said side faces, and ball pivot members adapted to seat within said ball-sockets and extending adjustably from said frame adjacent the opposite ends of said cross member, whereby with said ball-socket brackets installed on a bathtub and said ball-pivot members adjusted to seat within said ball-socket brackets said seat attachment may be pivotally moved between a position providing access to the bathtub for cleaning and a seating position wherein said engaging portion of the frame engages the upper margin of-the bathtub end wall.

4. A seat attachment for bathtubs having side walls and an end wall, said attachment comprising a frame including spaced side members and end members inclined inwardly to meet at an apex to form a bathtub engaging portion, a cross member joining the spaced ends of said side members opposite said apex, a seat carried by said side members and said cross member, brackets adapted to be secured to the opposed inner side faces of the side walls of a bathtub, and means providing a pivotal connection between said brackets and said frame, whereby with said brackets installed on a bathtub said seat attachment may be pivotally moved between a position providing access to the bathtub for cleaning and a seating position wherein said engaging portion of the frame engages the upper margin of the bathtub end wall.

5. A seat attachment for bathtubs having side walls and an end wall, said attachment comprising a frame including a bathtub engaging portion, a seat carried by said frame, ball-socket carrying brackets adapted to be secured to the opposed inner side faces of the side walls of a bathtub adjacent the upper margin of said side faces, and ball pivot members adapted to seat within said ballsockets and extending adjustably from said frame, whereby with said ball-socket brackets installed on a bathtub and said ball-pivot members adjusted to seat within said ball-socket brackets said seat attachment may be pivotally moved between a position providing access to the bathtub for cleaning and a seating position wherein said engaging portion of the frame engages the upper margin of the bathtub end wall.

6; In combination, a bathtub having side walls and an end Wall and a seat attachment therefor, said attachment comprising a frame including a bathtub engaging portion, a seat carried by said frame, brackets adapted to be secured to the opposed inner side faces of the side walls of said bathtub, and means providing a pivotal connection between said brackets and said frame, whereby with said brackets installed on said bathtub said seat attachment may be pivotally moved between a position providing access to the bathtub for cleaning and a seating position wherein said engaging portion of the frame engages the upper margin of the bathtub end wall.

No references cited.

H. GROSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SEAT ATTACHMENT FOR BATHTUBS HAVING SIDE WALLS AND AN END WALL, SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING PARALLEL SPACED SIDE MEMBERS, COMPRISING A FRAME CLINED INWARDLY TO MEET AT AN APEX, SAID END MEMBERS BEING FURTHER INCLINED UPWARDLY TO PLACE SAID APEX ABOVE THE PLANE DEFINED BY SAID SIDE MEMBERS, A CROSS MEMBER JOINING THE SPACED END OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS OPPOSITE SAID APEX, A SEAT CARRIED BY SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND SAID CROSS MEMBER, BALL-SOCKET CARRYING BRACKETS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE OPPOSED INNER SIDE FACES OF THE SIDE WALLS OF A BATHTUB ADJACENT THE UPPER MARGIN OF SAID SIDE FACES, AND BALL PIVOT MEMBERS ADAPTED TO SEAT WITHIN SAID BALLSOCKETS AND EXTENDING ADJUSTABLY FROM SAID FRAME ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CROSS MEMBER, WHEREBY WITH SAID BALL-SOCKET BRACKETS INSTALLED ON A BATHTUB AND SAID BALL-PIVOT MEMBERS ADJUSTED TO SEAT WITHIN SAID BALLSOCKET BRACKETS SAID SEAT ATTACHMENT MAY BE PIVOTALLY MOVED BETWEEN A POSITION PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE BATHTUB FOR CLEANING AND A SEATING POSITION WHEREIN SAID APEX ENGAGES THE UPPER MARGIN OF THE BATHTUB END WALL TO PLACE SAID SEAT IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE. 